The present invention relates to a scrubbing machine and more particularly to a scrubbing machine including a vacuum squeegee.
Scrubbing machines including vacuum squeegees have been known for some time. Such scrubbing machines have generally included a water supply, scrubbing brushes, suitable support wheels and a vacuum system. In some instances, the scrubbing machine has supported the squeegee with the squeegee integrally mounted to the body, thus being locked with respect thereto. In other instances, such as the scrubbing machine shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,791, the squeegee has been drawn by a pivotable pull arm. A common problem has existed in both cases. Specifically the squeegee is shifted out of the wetted pathway whenever the machine makes a turn thus leaving a puddle. Generally the squeegee is locked with respect to the body of the scrubber, the water lay-down portion of the scrubber is forward of the pivot point of the scrubber, and the squeegee is located to the rear of the pivot point of the scrubber. The squeegee moves radially outward as the machine turns, leaving a puddle of water on the radially inward portion of the wetted path. On the other hand, with scrubbers including a pull bar or draw bar, the squeegee tends to shift to the radially inward portion of the wetted path during such a turn, leaving a water puddle on the radially outward portion of the wetted path. This problem can be overcome, at least to a degree, by providing a wetted path of substantially lesser width than the width of the squeegee. Such an arrangement, however, results in other problems. Either efficiency is lost due to a relatively narrow scrubbing path or alternatively the squeegee extends well beyond the sides of the scrubbing machine.
The present invention overcomes the problems inherent in previous scrubbing machines by utilizing a draw bar which is pivotally mounted to the scrubbing machine and a steering arm which controls the location of the squeegee during turns. It has been found that such an arrangement results in good tracking, both when traveling in a straight forward direction as well as when turning on a sharp radius or a more gentle radius.